The Reynes Will Fall
by Onyx076
Summary: An epic poem one shot that follows the quick rise of a young Tywin Lannister as he faces, not only his enemies in battle, but also his father. From the war of the Ninepenny Kings to the infamous Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion, Tywin must find a way to restore his House's name and all that it commanded: fear and respect. Written for the WA Alternate Formate Writing Challenge.


**A/N: Just a little note, here, for those who are not fandom blind and for those that are. If anyone is looking for a little more clarification or background on my poem, a simple Google search of The War of the _Ninepenny Kings_ as well as _The Rains of Castamere_ (which was my inspiration for this piece), will easily connect you to more information on the characters and locations. I hope you like it. I accept all forms of constructive criticism ** (concrit), **and any feedback in general. Thank you for reading. * I would also like to acknowledge _Igenlode Wordsmith_ for the impromptu edit and help with formatting my work and making it look a million times better! **

**Onyx**

The gathering dusk announced the forthcoming gloom  
Candles and fires lit every room  
Joyous and jubilant noises rang out  
As the lords and the ladies of the west did shout  
But above all the clatter, one voice did call:  
"A welcome! A welcome! A welcome to all!  
For I, Lord Tytos, of the House Lannister, do say  
I shall send my sons to war on this day!"

The knights gathered 'round in front of the hall  
Glinting and gleaming in armor stood tall  
One stood out above the rest  
A youthful arrogance to conquer his test  
With visions of glory, imagining his enemies fall  
His hair the color of sun-beaten straw  
Shining and sparkling was the gold inlay on his hilt  
Despite his young age, he bested them all in a tilt

His dashing looks awarded him any maiden he would choose  
And he was aptly named Tywin, for Tywin would never lose  
"You three shall ride forth, ride forth into battle—  
Dispose of the enemy like slaughtered cattle!"  
It wasn't his brother, Kevin, nor Tygett to garner the stares  
No...it was Tywin, but Tywin refused to care  
His frigid blue eyes glared hard and long  
Regarding his father, who was weaker than he was strong

"Represent your House, bestow upon it greatness  
Show those Ninepenny kings that they cannot escape this  
Their deaths are imminent, I promise you that  
For my brother, Ser Jason, shall lead the attack!"  
But the cheers in the hall were of a different sort  
As the bannermen of Lord Tytos were quick to retort:  
"He's a coward! He's a sham! Open your eyes and see!  
'Go forth, my sons, for 'tis better you than 'tis me!' "

The calls came unbidden and without end  
But Tytos would only smile, for they were all his "friends"  
However, Tywin stood still, fists clenched tight  
Unable to abide the unbearable sight  
How could his father withstand such disgrace?  
As they laughed and they mocked him right to his face...  
"Now, Now, that is all in good fun  
But that is quite enough, quite enough, everyone."

The smile on Lord Tytos' face was wide and without care  
While Tywin stood and could only stare  
"I ask you all to rise, out of respect for my House and my sons."  
But everyone refused, a cold bitter shun  
Silence befell the masses, but Lord Tytos was still in bliss  
He continued onward as if nothing was amiss  
Tytos stood to face the golden Lion of Lannister  
that pranced and clawed on its bright red banner

With his head held high, so Tytos spoke: "Hear me Roar."  
"More like: Hear me Snore!"  
A raucous laughter sprung up from the crowd  
That's when young Tywin spun right around  
The steel of his sword scraped against its scabbard  
As he withdrew the metal to point it at those bastards  
Shocked and surprised, were the great gathered crew  
For not one of them, not one, knew what to do

"Laugh at my father, and you're laughing at me  
You'll all regret this, one day you shall see  
I make note of your faces and poor family name  
Go ahead and jest if you think this a game  
I shall be back to make you endure  
I shall be back, for that I am sure!"  
Off Tywin strode from the hall with his plight  
He gathered his things and rode into the night

"Grey Gallows lies to the south, we shall land on Bloodstone  
We have been sent here to defend the Iron Throne.  
Blood and carnage is what shall come  
Of mercy and sympathy, they shall have none!  
Ride forth, men, and cut them all down  
For 'tis our swords that protect the Crown!"  
The voice of Ser Jason Lannister called to his men:  
"Attack! Attack!" He sang, again and again

The long ship hit the shore and the great mass spilled out  
To slaughter and maim, without a single doubt  
Steel on steel sparked on the ground  
As the battle commenced with a loud clashing sound  
Tywin charged forth, surpassing Ser Jason  
Slamming his sword into any freemason  
The Free Cities hadn't an army so well trained  
They took what they could get, no matter their name

Doubtless, their skill lacked, yet their numbers were fierce  
For their steel tips would find flesh, and through mail, it would pierce  
Tywin swung his longsword at any man or foe  
He swung with great force and sent many below  
His boots sunk quick into the reddening sand  
He found it hard to move without grabbing for a hand  
The army of Bloodstone flew at them with great haste  
As if they tried to win some long foot race

Lannister men cried shouts of anguish and fear  
As the Bloodstone host caught them from the rear  
"Move! Up the beach and to the city!  
For once we arrive, I feel for them a great pity!  
We shall destroy their walls and take down their host!  
Because we are the ones who want it the most!"  
Ser Jason's voice called as he led the attack  
He didn't even see the sword drive through his back

The dark blood gushed through the hole in his chest  
Ser Jason's hands clamped down on his blood-soaked vest  
Young Tywin shoved hard against the men at his front  
The edge of his sword had grown woefully blunt  
"Uncle Jason!" Tywin screamed with a great mighty shout  
As his cold blue eyes watched Ser Jason bleed out  
"There's no time! We must press on and extinguish their flame!"  
The man who called out was none other than Lord Roger Reyne

Lord Reyne grabbed Tywin and shoved him forth  
For they must continue their bloody march north  
But just as the whole army of Bloodstone were engrossed  
Another Lannister horde stormed up the coast  
Archers took aim as they notched and they drew  
And into the air, all of their arrows flew  
The wind feathered the fletching as they raced through the sky  
To pierce the heart of every man, and sentence them to die

With a new found strength, Tywin did rise  
Wiping the blood and the sweat from his eyes  
His gloved hands grabbed tight to his hilt  
As he bashed and he slashed at what they had built  
The thousands poured over the sands of Bloodstone  
Leaving not a single enemy alone  
And just as their victory came into view  
Tywin stopped suddenly, not knowing what he should do

An arrow had found him, it came as a shock  
For the arrow had flown from where they had docked  
He sank to his knees as he clutched at his belly  
His legs became shaky and wobbly like jelly  
And onto his back, so Tywin did fall  
But this wasn't his end, not here, not at all  
"You must rest, m'lord, come rest, dear Ser."  
Tywin opened his eyes as his body did stir.

"I...I am no Ser, do not address me as such  
A Ser is a knight, and I am not that much."  
"The fever took you, for you've been asleep  
You missed King Jaehaerys II enter the keep  
He laid upon you his great mighty sword  
And said you have served more than any great Lord  
He granted you knighthood, and so you shall be called  
Your father is proud and quite enthralled."

"My father? The one they laughed at and joked?  
I could care less if while I was gone he had croaked  
It makes me sick just to watch him talk  
In his shoes, I shan't ever walk  
Because I am Tywin and they will all bow  
My time is here and my time is right now."  
The young Lannister pulled himself up  
He snatched for some wine and drained the whole cup

His body was bruised and beaten and blue  
The feelings of anger stirred and they grew  
"Fetch me a quill and some parchment to write  
As my father's heir, I have every right  
To call upon those who have disgraced me and mine  
Hurry up, Hurry up, we haven't much time  
I want them to know that they will pay us back."  
The maester who attended Ser Tywin was taken aback

"M'lord, you must gather your strength; you must rest  
You haven't the right since your father is still Warden of the West  
Like it or not, his word is law  
Even if you like it, quite not at all."  
Tywin scowled at the man who was too scared to grin  
"Old man, I am Ser Tywin, and Ser Tywin always wins  
I don't need my father," as he got up from his bed  
"Do as I say, old man, or I will have your head."

And so it went, as he wrote and he wrote  
"My _honorable_ Lords and great mighty vassals  
Hear my words and report to my castle  
The time has come to pay back what you owe  
Pay us back, or you'll be marked a foe

You shall settle your debts, and come to heel  
You will bend the knee, and before us, you shall kneel  
Mark my words, for if you do not pay  
A hostage will be surrendered on said day  
No longer will you steal from the Lord of Casterly Rock  
Disobey me and you'll find your heads on the block."  
And so he inked his letter in vain:  
"Ser Tywin Lannister, the first of his name."

"You cannot do this, for that I am sure  
Do you really want the West to go into war?"  
Lord Tytos spoke to Tywin as he said with a frown  
"These Lords are my men, and they have yet to let me down  
I am telling you, recall those letters and take them in hand  
This is an order; a direct command."  
Tywin rose from his seat and slammed on the table  
"Do you think this a fairy tale? Some children's fable?

You have done nothing but make us look weak  
I want our gold. Honor and respect, I seek  
You're old and fragile, I will tell you this  
Once you are dead, you shall not be missed  
We will proceed with this plan, and that is that  
As the Lannister name begins its ascent back  
We will be feared and respected as in the past  
Our name will live, for it's the only thing that will last

After we die, they will still sing our name  
For we will achieve all of our fame."  
Tytos sat down as he looked at his son  
"Where have I gone wrong with you? What have I done?  
I taught you to be kind, but now we're in too deep  
You are not to treat our people like sheep."  
Tywin shook his head as he walked away  
"Come back, my son! Come back, I say!"

The look on the tired Lord's face said it all  
Then the tears welled in his eyes and he began to bawl  
Tywin marched on as he heard his father's sobs  
"What a sad man, a complete utter slob  
'Where have I gone wrong?' Oh, please  
I shall have all of those peasants down on their knees  
Beg for mercy and beg for my forgiveness  
But they shall have none of it, for I will not forgive this."

Tywin stopped as he was about to leave  
His eyes looked to the lion on his sleeve  
He thought of his father and all who did borrow  
Then it hit him, a twinge of sorrow  
If he listened hard enough, Tywin could still hear him cry  
But he pushed it out of his mind, without batting an eye  
Tywin walked through his castle and through the hall  
As his army were the ones to answer his call

Ser Tygett and Ser Kevin stood side by side  
Then Tywin took a great mighty stride  
"I have just received word, as our pigeons flew  
All houses have agreed, all but for two  
Kevin, you and your host will go with me to Tarbeck Hall  
We will crush and destroy all of their walls  
Tygett you'll stay here with a reserve full of men  
Then we will see how much they want to revolt, then."

And when the dusk of the night swept over the land  
The Lannister army took sword in hand  
Hooves and boot beat as they made their trek  
To take down the revolt of House Tarbeck  
"They stole from us and mocked us a great many years  
They will pay with their blood and their tears."  
So, onward they marched until the sun rose  
That's when they saw House Tarbeck up the road

"There lies their castle, onward and charge!"  
The Lannister host was three times as large  
Unfortunate souls of Tarbeck came out  
But the Lannisters slaughtered each one throughout  
It was Ser Tywin who led his men on  
And so as it was in the first verse of his song  
"Take the castle! Break the walls and line up around!  
Ignite the torches and burn it all down!"

The first boulder was launched and into the air, it soared  
The great mighty rock took out a whole horde  
The brick and stone crumbled as the main tower collapsed  
Then the Lannisters pounced on the attack  
A second rock flew and broke the last rampart  
And while the men pulled the castle apart  
Young Tywin strode in and observed the destruction  
He removed a large wooden panel obstruction

Under the rubble and under a pile  
What Tywin saw, made him smile  
The crushed corpse of Ellyn Tarbeck stared up at him blankly  
"Please, there is no need to beg me  
You brought this on yourself, you hold the blame  
I warned you that I would remember your name."  
"Ellyn!" The scream of a man cried out  
"I'll kill you, Tywin!" came the enraged shout

It belonged to Walderan Tarbeck, as he came charging in  
But the single-combat was over before it could begin  
Tywin withdrew his sword and parried Walderan's slice  
As Walderan blinked, Tywin stabbed him twice  
Once in the stomach and the deathblow to the neck  
Lord Walderan's limp body fell to the deck  
He spat up red blood as Tywin pulled his sword free  
"You fool, all you had to pay was one simple fee."

Another smile spread as he watched the man die  
"What's that? Oh, just lay there and cry  
Your castle has been torched, your woman is dead  
We left not one single man to have fled  
We slew your whole family, there is nothing left  
To you, I say, that you fell to the best."  
That's where Tywin left the Lord of Tarbeck Hall  
Tywin stood over him, and he stood rather tall

"Kevin, regroup the men, we march right away  
I shall not waste one more single day  
We'll take the Reynes by surprise  
They won't know what hit them 'till they see our eyes."  
Everyone gathered around the burning keep  
"Now our enemies lie in their eternal sleep,"  
Tywin addressed them  
"The Reynes will die, I do so condemn

Of Ellyn and Walderan, bring me their heads  
Do it! Do as I said!  
Put them on pikes for all to see  
For this is what happens when those choose to defy me  
Gather your weapons for onward we march—"  
But Tywin stopped talking as if his throat were parched  
He couldn't believe what he saw on the plain  
It was Lord Roger, Lord Roger Reyne

"Ha, ha, ha, the fool rushes into the lion's jaws  
Once more we shall butcher them with our great mighty claws  
March forth, men! March forth and kill!  
Slaughter each one at your own will!"  
The Lannisters, 10,000 strong, clashed with the Reynes  
The Tarbeck fate was suffered just all the same  
As the fight took place, beneath the Tarbeck flames  
Ser Tywin just laughed, to him it was all a game

Lord Roger had but a few thousand, not nearly enough  
So he called out, "Retreat! Retreat! Their host is too tough!  
Run to the hills and do not engage!  
We have awoken the lion! And fierce is his rage!"  
The Reynes, what few remained, ran far and long  
Each one of them vanished, like the second verse of the song  
"Let them go! Let them run!  
This battle is far too much fun!

Run, Lord Reyne, run far and run fast!  
You will all be killed! Right down to the last!"  
Ser Tywin stood and watched them all go  
As the castle of Tarbeck burned brightly below  
He turned to watch the stones collapse  
Tywin only stood quiet, in his silence he relapsed  
Flames leaped up high into the night  
Exhaustion settled in after their fight

They set up their camp so they could rest  
One more fight to win in order to take back the West.  
Days had passed before they received word  
Tywin tried to read the lines, but most were blurred  
The letter was from Lord Reyne, and it was penned in coal  
"The oaf wants peace, I guess the fighting took its toll  
He claims he'll come to heel and pay back the gold  
Sadly, it's too late, I knew he would fold."

He spoke to Ser Kevin, they had nothing but time  
"Our outriders say they escaped to their mine."  
Kevin told Tywin, which made Tywin grin  
"Perfect...we shall seal them all in  
Bring me a map, this feels like a dream,"  
He pointed, "There, you see that stream?  
Set our men to making a barricade  
Use every pick and every spade

Block the entrance so that no one can leave  
We can dam up that stream, I do so believe  
Dam it up and flood out their cave  
So they all suffer a cold watery grave."  
The order was given and then carried out  
It took several days, but the water would sprout  
The liquid sneaked through all open cracks  
Every man knew there was no turning back

Tywin stood at the entrance and listened to the screams  
"What have we done, Tywin? This is truly too mean."  
Kevin stood behind him, his face more pale than curdled milk  
His sandy hair blew in the wind like fine silk  
"All of those women and children...all of them dead—"  
"You heard my words, you know what I said  
They chose to revolt, it was their choice,"  
Young Tywin spoke in a quiet hushed voice

Tywin's eyes wouldn't meet Kevin's as he slowly turned away  
For the drowning wasn't the worst decision that day  
The worst was the boy, who was no older than three  
Tywin had him strung up and hanged from a tree  
"It had to be done, it had to, dear brother."  
"But it wasn't the boy's fault that Ellyn was his grandmother."  
"We shall speak no more of this, what's done is done  
Be happy, Kevin, for the Lannisters have won

Our name will be feared and respected for once  
No longer will they call our stupid father a dunce  
So, be happy, Kevin, for we won the day—"  
"Sadly, the cost, that poor boy had to pay."  
"Enough, it's done, no more will I hear  
Now we must go, and burn down Castamere."  
The castle's walls were set to the torch  
As the rains fell on all that was scorched

That was quite a long time ago  
The Tarbeck and Reyne rebellion, all would know  
For Ser Tywin, most everything that followed was grand  
Since the rebellion, he restored order to his savaged land  
All of the Lords shown the Lannisters a newfound respect  
Because none of them wanted to follow Reyne nor Tarbeck  
Tywin would go on to serve the whole realm  
He was named the King's Hand, and he took up the helm

He guided the lands to prosperity and money  
It was a swell time in this land of milk and honey  
But not one forgot what had happened that day  
In every tavern the singers would say:  
"He chopped them all down! Every last one!  
To me, that doesn't sound like much fun  
I'm sure glad that I'm on his good side."  
And whenever one was in Tywin's presence, he showed respect and would rise

The man that was the legend was never forgotten  
Since the corpses of Tarbeck and Reyne hung outside his keep; decrepit and rotten  
Still, Tywin would visit the hall once a year  
And shed not one single tear  
He walked through the ashes as the sky grew dim  
As the sinister clouds of a storm flew in  
It pelted him with rain, as it moved pretty near  
But he spoke not a word, for there was not a soul to hear.

The End


End file.
